The results of the Bonhams Las Vegas auction that we mentioned earlier are now in, and several of the bikes we featured from the L. Paul Du Pont Collection exceeded pre-auction guesstimates to sell for some amazing prices.

All told, the auction featured more than 50 motorcycles and more than 100 mixed lots of classic motorcycle parts, with a majority of the offerings coming from the Du Pont collection. In fact, of the $1.8 million total sales at Bonhams Las Vegas, every item from the collection was sold, with proceeds exceeding $1 million. Some of the bikes we featured in the earlier post were among the highest sales of the auction, including a 1906 Indian Camel Back in original condition that sold for $72,540, an unrestored 1915 Indian Twin Board Track Racer that went for $67,860; a 1953 Vincent Series C Black Shadow that sold for $120,500, a 1947 Vincent Rapide that brought $46,800; a 1907 Indian Camel Back that brought $67,860, a 1911 Indian 7 hp Big Twin that sold for a whopping $84,240, and a 1928 Henderson Deluxe Four that gaveled at $70,200. Several of the parts lots brought in much more than pre-auction estimates, including an unused 1924 Ace engine that sold for $35,000 and a 1912 Henderson Four engine that brought $32,500.

The top earners of the sale, however, were a 1955 Vincent 998cc Black Prince, frame number RD 12937B/F, and a circa 1953 Vincent Black Shadow, frame number RC 11818B, each of which sold for $122,500, including the buyer’s premiums. The Black Prince, with fiberglass panels enclosing the mechanicals, had been recently restored, while the Black Shadow, which sold at no reserve, was presented in semi-original condition.

Love the Black Shadow, you can see all the well made engine bits, and semi-original means you can ride it without ruining the percieved collector value.

Now the Black Prince, hoo boy what to do with that? This would be best ridden by a black version of one of those Snow Troopers from The Empire Strikes Back. I’d be temped to hang the panels in the attic and ride it, but that would devalue it.

Guess I’ll stick with my Kawi Concours, which like the Prince has too many black panels all over it, but at least I don’t have to sweat the collector value.

I think somewhere along the line a typo has rendered the name of the duPont family collector incorrect. E. Paul duPont, (not L., the E being for Eleuthere) was the founder of Dupont Motors, which at first made industrial and marine engines, and later automobiles. In 1930 he purchased Indian and essentially saved the company.He was heavily involved in the AMA, and one son, Jacques, was a racer. He died in 1950, and his son and grandson and greatgrandsons have continued to collect, restore and ride vintage motorcycles. E. Paul was inducted into the AMA Mortorcycle Museum’s Hall of Fame for his contibutions to American motorcyle culture and design, as well as for his role in the AMA. I know this is who started the collection. It has been owned and curated by successive members of the family since, although at the time of the sale I am not sure who actually owned it. Motorcycles were in E. Paul’s blood, and carried down through several generations!

?DougD is closer than he thinks. Back in the ’50s, my friend, another Doug, played one of the “Thought Police” in the English film “1984″ riding his Black Prince.
In 1958 I sold my 1939 HRD Rapide for £35 (about $100 then). If only I had known!